Unai Emery has hinted whether or not Nicolas Pepe will be selected against Watford tomorrow. Arsenal are taking on the Hornets looking to bounce back from a 2-2 draw against Tottenham before the international break. The Spanish coach has been keen to make his attacking line-up as offensive as possible with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette […]

The debate between fans of ‘my club is bigger than your club’ is one of the biggest never-ending talking points in football. Manchester United and Liverpool have long lead the way in terms of their trophy cabinets and fan base. But many clubs are on the rise such as Manchester City and Tottenham, who have […]

But many clubs are on the rise such as Manchester City and Tottenham, who have made the iconic top four including Arsenal and Chelsea become a top six.

There are those sleeping giants within the game, too, who are desperate to return to the big time.

Leeds United are closer than ever to seeing Premier League football back at Elland Road, while Nottingham Forest’s history in Europe has them as one of English football’s elite still in the Championship.

Read More

Latest Liverpool news

Starsport has analysed what truly makes a club bigger than another, and our unique ranking system is here to provide the answers.

Are Liverpool superior to United? How high up the list should Newcastle be? And exactly how big are City now?

We have looked at fan base size, matchday attendance, trophy records, years spent in the top flight, future prospects and finances to decipher a clear and fair assessment of where each club ranks.

In terms of the fan base, the reputation of the club’s following, local and abroad, as well as their atmosphere generated at home and on away days, is all taken into account in our score out of 10.

Manchester United fans in the away end during the game (Image: GETTY)

Read More

With the attendance, we have looked at the average number of those at home games through last season and the percentage of people going, taking that and the stadium size into account – the bigger and more well attended, the better the rating.

Trophies won is a simple system – the more in your cabinet, the bigger your club’s respective score, and the same applies to the years spent in the top division.

We have assessed the top 15 club’s future prospects too in looking at what they hope to achieve in the coming years and whether they are heading in the right direction – something often overlooked in this debate.

Lastly, what would modern day football be without money? So a score on club’s finances and budgets is also taken into account.

Arsenal’s injury record down the years has historically been hard to match. And the faith of supporters in those sidelined, subsequently unable to help their team-mates, is practically unmatched. Many Arsenal fans regularly have the sense their injured players would have a greater impact on the team than perhaps their ability suggests. But with right-back […]

Arsenal’s injury record down the years has historically been hard to match.

And the faith of supporters in those sidelined, subsequently unable to help their team-mates, is practically unmatched.

Many Arsenal fans regularly have the sense their injured players would have a greater impact on the team than perhaps their ability suggests.

But with right-back Hector Bellerin, centre-half Rob Holding and left-back Kieran Tierney currently out, the defence is significantly weakened.

Versatile midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles has figured on the right of defence often under Unai Emery due to Bellerin’s long-term absence with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

In the centre, Sokratis Papastathopoulos has been a reliable figure for Emery, but Shkodran Mustafi has come under hefty criticism since last season.

Read More

Other must-read Arsenal FC news

David Luiz’s deadline day arrival from Chelsea is very much a short-term solution too, and Holding could end up slotting back in once he is 100 per cent fit.

On the left, Arsenal followers are still awaiting their first sight of Tierney in a red shirt, and they need him more than ever following the sale of Nacho Monreal to Real Sociedad.

Sead Kolasinac has his limitations, especially defensively, and the stats prove Arsenal need the signing from Celtic as soon as possible as he works his way back from a double hernia operation.

While the defence is Arsenal’s key concern, £72m new boy Nicolas Pepe has also had a slow start to life in north London.

The record purchase from French side Lille is still adapting to his new role and team, having been brought in to strengthen Arsenal on the right wing.

Nicolas Pepe’s heat map from his first four Arsenal appearances shows he predominantly figures on the right wing (Image: Wyscout)

Pepe hardly featured there last season for Lille, being prioritised in a more central role due to his effectiveness in front of goal.

At Arsenal, he has little competition for a place in that role following the deadline day departures of both Alex Iwobi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Ivory Coast star Pepe has been at far from peak fitness in the opening few matches due to his extended summer rest off the back of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

Nicolas Pepe’s shooting vs Tottenham left a lot to be desired (Image: Wyscout)

But he now needs to step up following the international break, having failed to show his true worth in the 2-2 draw with Tottenham, despite unintentionally providing the assist for Alexandre Lacazette’s goal.

There is no doubt, though, that Pepe is an upgrade on Arsenal’s current options to support Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in attack, as the likes of Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Martinelli are young and inexperienced.

Nicolas Pepe is getting more and more match fitness at Arsenal (Image: Wyscout)

The defence, though, is where stats show how much effect the returns of Holding, Tierney and Bellerin will play in Arsenal’s season going forward.

Data collected from stats website Wyscout show Holding to be a far more physical presence in the air while also impressive on the floor compared to Emery’s other central defensive options.

Kieran Tierney must fill the boots of Nacho Monreal but is a clear upgrade on Arsenal’s only fit left-back Sead Kolasinac

Additionally, Tierney proved in Scotland how big an impact he can have.

Although the change to the Premier League may be a big test for him as he looks to become Monreal’s long-term successor.

On the right, the stats dating back to beginning of last season also show why former Barcelona youth Bellerin is so important to Arsenal.

Natural right-back Hector Bellerin is evidently much more suited to the role than Ainsley Maitland-Niles

While young Maitland-Niles has filled in admirably, it is clear to see he is not a natural right-back who lacks the traits to reach Bellerin’s level in that role.

In terms of their return dates, there is no concern around Pepe, who is due to start against Watford today (12.30pm).

Bellerin and Tierney, though, have a zero per cent chance of making the Premier League clash at Vicarage Road.

(Image: Wyscout)

Holding, however, is ready to stake his claim for a place in Emery’s team.

Arsenal head to Vicarage Road on Sunday where they take on bottom place Watford – and Starsport has taken a look at how Unai Emery’s side could line up. It won’t all be plain sailing for Arsenal, who will be forced to name a weakened side. Star striker Alexandre Lacazette has been ruled out until […]

Arsenal head to Vicarage Road on Sunday where they take on bottom place Watford – and Starsport has taken a look at how Unai Emery’s side could line up.

It won’t all be plain sailing for Arsenal, who will be forced to name a weakened side.

Star striker Alexandre Lacazette has been ruled out until October according to an official club statement. “We have advised that Alex will need to rest and strengthen his ankle to regain full fitness,” the statement read.

“Alex has been playing through this injury for several weeks. He is likely to be back in action in October.”

Read More

Other must-read Arsenal FC news

This leaves Arsenal with two recognised forwards fit for the weekend, who will be facing a Watford side likely to be reinvigorated by returning manager, Quique Flores.

In his first spell at the club, Flores lead the newly promoted Watford to an impressive 13th position, eight points clear of relegation and a semi-final appearance in the FA Cup, before surprisingly parting ways with the club.

In his press conference today, Unai Emery was aware the danger Flores could pose coming in, saying: “He is going to know the team and payers. He knows some players because he trained there there year ago. He’s going to do well.”

Unai Emery is without Alexandre Lacazette for the foreseeable future (Image: GETTY)

Arsenal are expected to stick with the 4-3-1-2 formation deployed by Emery last game, starting with Bernd Leno in goal.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, David Luiz and Sead Kolasinac are expected to start in defence, with Hector Bellerin, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Kieran Tierney all out injured.

Matteo Guendouzi, Granit Xhaka and Joe Willock will form the midfielder three, with Dani Ceballos pushed up field behind the strikers.

Arsenal boss Unai Emery won’t be regretting his decision to send Mohamed Elneny on loan after seeing what he did on his Beskitas debut. The Egyptian midfielder tangled with Gazisehir striker Olarenwaju Kayode with 15 minutes of their Turkish Superlig clash remaining. Kayode appeared to throw an elbow towards Elneny’s face, provoking the Arsenal loanee […]

Kayode appeared to throw an elbow towards Elneny’s face, provoking the Arsenal loanee into kicking out at him.

The Nigerian went down clutching his leg and the referee was left with little choice but to send both players off.

Read More

Other must-read Arsenal FC news

Gazisehir, already 2-0 up at the time of the clash, then scored a third to seemingly settle the match.

Besitakas, who finished third in Turkey’s top flight last season, then scored twice in two minutes to haul themselves back into contention.

But Elneny’s debut ended in defeat, meaning Besiktas have just just four points to show from their first four games.

Elneny couldn’t stop himself from reacting to the elbow

Read More

Prior to his debut, the midfielder had revealed that Mesut Ozil had convinced him to take a punt on the Turkish club after his career stalled at Arsenal.

“Mesut is a friend that I love and appreciate. We had very good memories at Arsenal,” Elneny told Turkish newspaper Milliyet.

“Of course I talked to him before coming to Besiktas. He told me to leave without thinking, telling me ‘Besiktas is a very big club, you must come here’.”

Read More

When asked how he’s fared in his first fortnight in Istanbul, the midfielder spoke glowingly about the club and fans.

“I’m so glad I came to Besiktas. Since day one Besiktas fans showed me love. I would like to thank them for this. My primary target is to help the team.

“There are good players and a nice team here. We want to achieve success in Turkey and Europe. I think the team have the potential to win the Europa League.”

“My first impression of Besiktas fans surprised me because they never stop cheering. They have great support for the team and this is really important for us. I love playing with great support behind me.”

Robin van Persie left Arsenal in 2012 because the club didn’t match his ambitions – and seven years later he is worried that not much has changed. He believes the Gunners must play to their own strengths and not worry so much about their opponents if they hope to improve under Unai Emery. Arsenal won […]

Arsenal fans would love for their club to be able to call on £27m signing William Saliba for tomorrow’s clash with Watford. Despite Pictures emerging of the central defender at the Gunners’ London Colney training facility, they will have to wait until next season to see him in action. St-Etienne sold Saliba to Arsenal on […]

Alexandre Lacazette may be sidelined until October but Arsenal fans will certainly not forget their star striker in the coming weeks. Supporters flocked to Laczette’s Twitter page to offer their messages of support after news emerged of his injury. The Frenchman has been struggling with an ankle problem since pre-season and he will now have […]

Read More

Unai Emery must work out how he lines up his Arsenal team without Alexandre Lacazette in the coming weeks (Image: REUTERS)

Lacazette’s strong start was made all the more impressive given he was carrying an injury, and one fan noted: “So I’m meant to believe and injured Lacazette starting two games managed to score 2 goals, one being against our biggest rival? Lacazette is going to come back a different animal”.

A fourth even insisted: “Make @LacazetteAlex the captain and make a new hashtag in #lacaptain Emery said next week they will decide, take that armband from poor Xhaka! Not deserved indeed – Lacabloodclaatzette – the next legend”.

Ahead of tomorrow’s showdown at Vicarage Road, one said: “Most important player for us recently, not looking forward to playing Watford without him”.

With a trip to Old Tafford to come at the end of September, one optimistic fan put: “Can’t wait to see you against United, recover soonest Lacazette”.

And a final fan, looking at what options Emery now has in attack for the coming weeks, said: “Gutting :(what’s the line up now? Im feeling Auba down the middle, Ceballos on the left. Has the skills 2 cut in Pepe on the right and Ozil sat behind! Needs 2 happen”.

New boy Kieran Tierney humbled Arsenal outcast Shkodran Mustafi by nutmegging him in his first training session. The Scotland international has been restricted to the treatment table since arriving from Celtic in a £25m summer deal. But Tierney excited fans by showing that he is nearing match fitness ahead of Arsenal’s upcoming clash with Watford […]

Emmanuel Adebayor has trolled Arsenal fans with classic schoolyard style taunts 10 years after his iconic knee slide celebration. The striker, who now plies his trade for Turkish club Kayserispor, couldn’t resist having a few digs at some Gunners fans on social media. Adebayor became a pantomime villain after Arsenal sold him to Manchester City […]